I need to get in shape...

[whit]

TRX, rock climbing, and yoga seem to help me stay in shape. When you get the urge to smoke, pray for help, the urge is only momentary.

[Alvin]

I totally agree with this. I did it all winter when living at VB, paddling out and around the bouys and back and did circles around everyone when Spring came. Plus of course lots of cross training, yoga, eating well, SUP. core work.

get out and paddle as much as you can. it's obviously better for surfing but i think it's better than the gym for your overall health too. especially in a wetsuit in the cold. go out when it's knee high and paddle until your arms fall off. rest for a couple minutes and do it again. get as many popups as you can. be active!

[Alvin]

When you're in the water and its flat also practice sprints. hundred paddles out as fast as you can turn around and paddle in 100 strokes. Then do it again! Builds like crazy!.

I would say paddle around even if its flat. park at one spot, carry your board a few blocks down and paddle back to your car. Should be a good workout and it directly relates to surfing.

[zrich]

I've been following this thread since it began with interest. I have to say Im having similar problems with my endurance lately. But the concerning thing for me is that I have a fairly healthy lifestyle.
At 38 years old I have been surfing strong and long up until about mid to late august this year. then one day my muscles fatigue extremely quick and Im not recovering inbetween sets like I used to. Been that way since. Its def. affecting my surfing, in terms of positioning myself in the lineup and popping up on my board.
I dont smoke, and I work out 3 to 4 times per week for the last 15 to 20 years. I still have my strength, Im possibly stronger in my max wieght lifts at the gym... but my endurance is at an all time low and my muscles burn/fatigue so much quicker then they used to. Also my breath seems to run out quick.
I mentioned that I am sort of a gym freak and I excersize regularly... the only thing that I can think of is that over the past year to half year I have increased sugar consumption. I got into the habbit of putting sugar in my coffee, my cereal and I usually eat candy bars at sometime during the day. In trying to track down the cause of my fatigue Im taking the sugar out of my diet, unless its in food naturally. I felt a bit better during this past weeks swell but I def. still have quick fatigue... Now Im just waiting for the next swell to see if the long term sugar use (after never using extra sugar) was the culprit...

If cutting out the sugar doesn't help, then go to your doctor. I'm no expert, but it sounds like you might have a thyroid issue. For someone as active as you, I wouldn't think a few tablespoons of sugar would make much of a difference as you would burn it right off, but who knows?

[757surfer]

This is a great idea. I from VB too and i think im gonna start doing this on flat days. i try to surf everyday there's some swell but i still wanna stay in shape for these damn weeks without swell we tend to get.